The USDA periodically issues a report on the cost of raising a child. In 2015, the latest year for which data is available, the standard married-couple family with two children and an income below $59,200 spent between $9,330 and $9,980 per child annually, depending on the age of the child. A middle-income family spent $12,350 and $13,900 annually for each child in their household, and an upper-income family earning more than $107,000 annually spent between $19,380 and $23,380 per child.

Single parents do not get a break on the cost of children, and they spend about the same amount of money on each child as married couples in their income brackets. However, there are some economies of scale in raising children. Married couples with only one child spent about 27% more per child, and those with three children or more spent about 24% less per child than the standard or reference married couple raising two children.

Location also affected the amount spent on raising children. Nationwide, the average cost of raising a child from birth through age 17 was $233,610 in 2015. Rural families across the nation spent an average of $193,202 to raise a child from birth through age 17. Families in the urban Northeast spent an average of $264,090, families in the urban south spent $232,050, and families in the urban west spent $245,460.

How much did the average family in the urban Midwest spend to raise a child from birth through age 17 in 2015?

A. $227,400
B. $193,020
C. $251,900
D. $234,000
E. $162,000

The Community Economic Development Program is pleased to accept applications for the Community Economic Analysis for Rural Wisconsin Communities (CEA-RWC) Pilot Initiative supported by the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC).

What?
A joint effort between the University of Wisconsin, the Division of Extension, and the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation to bring a structured community economic development strategic planning program to a set of rural Wisconsin communities.

When?
Accepting applications NOW through August 15, 2022. Pilot communities will be notified of acceptance no later than September 1, 2022 and will work with Extension and WEDC upon acceptance through June 30, 2024.

Who?
This pilot program is open to rural places in Wisconsin including local communities, rural regions, rural counties, and tribal communities. Population size for pilot communities should fall between 1,000 and 7,500 people.

Why?
Extension and WEDC aim to understand the challenges for rural Wisconsin communities working on and executing community economic development plans. These efforts will provide valuable insight into establishing a process and pathway that other rural communities throughout Wisconsin can engage in as they develop and look to execute comprehensive community economic development planning in their community.

Over the last couple of decades, community economic development practitioners and researchers have explored the importance of quality of life on economic activity and population growth. Dr. Amanda Weinstein will discuss her work on the importance of quality of life for Midwestern communities and share what this might mean for a broader set of economic development policy recommendations.

Hotels provide an important service to our communities and represent a significant economic engine for jobs, business income, and taxes. They often serve as a gateway to a community, influencing perceptions of the local community. During the pandemic, the hotel industry experienced significant challenges, including changes in travel behaviors, both in the US and in Wisconsin. In this webinar, we discuss the hotel industry during and after the pandemic with three industry experts, Michael Lindner, Bill Elliott, and Richard Sprecher.

Dr. Tessa Conroy discusses entrepreneurial activity in Wisconsin during the COVID-19 pandemic. Entrepreneurship is a key part of any healthy economy but ensuring that new business activity leads to significant economic impact by creating high-quality jobs can be difficult. Learn about entrepreneurial activity in the state and hear discussions on what communities can do to take a lead role in helping entrepreneurs grow and be successful.

Economist: Focus on mom-and-pop businesses to help the rural economy

(Wausau Pilot & Review - 6/24/2022)

(Kenosha News - 6/18/2022)

(Up North News - 6/16/2022)

Economist argues for boosting ‘homegrown’ businesses over attracting out-of-state companies

(WisBusiness.com - 6/16/2022)

Homeowners associations hinder solar deployment, despite Wisconsin law

Employees looking to have even more impact

(Wisconsin State Journal - 5/29/2022)